Blanche II of Navarre facts for kids

Blanche II (Spanish: Blanca, Basque: Zuria; born June 9, 1424 – died December 2, 1464) was a princess who was considered the rightful Queen of Navarre from 1461 to 1464. She was the daughter of John II of Aragon and Blanche I of Navarre. She was also known as the Princess of Asturias because she was married to Henry of Castile.

Early Life and Family

Birth and Childhood

Blanche was born on June 9, 1424, in Olite, a town in Navarre. She was the second child and the oldest daughter of John II of Aragon and Blanche I of Navarre. At the time of her birth, her father was the Duke of Montblanc.

Becoming an Heiress

In 1427, Blanche, along with her older brother Charles and younger sister Eleanor, were officially named the future rulers of the Kingdom of Navarre. This meant they were next in line to the throne.

Marriage and Annulment

In 1436, Blanche was promised in marriage to the future king of Castile as part of a peace agreement between Navarre and Castile. She married Henry, who later became King Henry IV of Castile, in 1440. Their marriage reportedly was never fully completed.

Thirteen years later, in 1453, Henry asked for their marriage to be canceled. An official check confirmed that Blanche was still a virgin. The Pope allowed the divorce, stating that something had prevented Henry from completing the marriage. After this, Blanche was sent back to Navarre. She was held captive by her own family starting in 1462, under the care of her sister. Blanche never had any children.

Claim to the Throne

Becoming a Claimant

After her brother Charles died in 1461, some people in Navarre who were unhappy with the current ruler believed Blanche should be their queen. They saw her as the rightful monarch, just as they had seen her brother. They declared her Queen Blanche II of Navarre. However, her father, who wanted to keep control of Navarre, had already imprisoned her. This meant she could not act as queen.

Refusal and Death

Her father, John II of Aragon, tried to arrange another marriage for Blanche. He wanted her to marry Charles, Duke of Berry, who was the younger brother of Louis XI of France. This was meant to create an alliance. But Blanche refused to marry him, which made her father very angry.

In 1464, Blanche managed to return to Pamplona with help from Bishop Nicolas de Etchabarri. She wanted to attend the Courts of Navarre, which was a meeting of important people. Sadly, Bishop Etchabarri was murdered shortly after. Blanche herself died less than a month later in Orthez, France. It is believed she died from poison. Some historical accounts suggest that her father or her sister Eleanor might have been involved in her death.

After Blanche's death, her rights to the throne of Navarre passed to her next sister, Eleanor of Aragon. However, Eleanor was an ally of their father and did not claim the throne until after his death in 1479.

See also

In Spanish: Blanca II de Navarra para niños